News
Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday, Thursday and Friday, November 26th and 27th
We will be open for curbside service again (as detailed below) on Monday, November 30th.
Library Closure - Monday November 16th, 2020
Beginning Monday, November 16th, the Southgate Veterans Memorial Library will be closed to the public. Library staff will still be working, and providing limited services. Several changes are taking place, please see them below. We do not currently have an estimate for when access to the library will be made available again; like everyone, we are monitoring the pandemic, and will make the best decision we can for the safety of staff and patrons alike.
- Hours of operation are currently Monday – Friday, 10am – 9pm
- Curbside pickup of items is available. You can place hold requests yourself, or ask staff to do it for you. If there is something we have on the shelves you would like to come get, we can pull it for you. When you are ready to pick up your items, call the library. We will have a number of lockers outside the front doors; we’ll checkout your items, place them in a locker, and give you the number and temporary code for the lock. Unlock the locker, take your items, and place the lock in the dropbox. Please make your pickup no more than 1 hour after requesting it, so we can use the locker for another patron
- We will also provide copying and faxing services. Call to schedule this service; ideally, if you can call from a cell phone in the parking lot, we can come right out to get started. Staff will take your items, perform the requested service, and return them. Please stand clear of the doors and lockers while waiting. If you have a cell phone, we can take your number, and you can wait in your car until we call you to come back up.
- Similar to copying and faxing, we can also scan documents for you. You must provide your own flash drive for this service.
- Public computers are not available at this time.
- All public meetings are cancelled.
- Electronic resources remain available through Download Destination/Libby, Hoopla, and RBDigital. Information on these can be found here.
- New and updated cards can be requested through email, information on this is available below. New cards are required to access some of our electronic resources, they begin with 29014, while old cards will usually begin with 29082.
- The dropbox is available 24/7. We will continue to quarantine all returns for at least 4 days before processing them. If you receive a notice that something is overdue or lost, but you know you returned it, this is why. All returns are backdated, no additional fines or fees will accrue because of this delay.
Sign up for a library card remotely
We are now offering the opportunity to sign up for a library card remotely! Any Southgate resident who does not have a card, or who needs to update an old card, can send us their information, and we will reply with everything you need to gain access to our digital collection. If you already have a card beginning with 29014, you should be set; this is for new cards and updates only.
To get a new or updated card number, send the following information to the Director, Don Priest, through email, with the subject heading "New Library Card".
- First Name
- Last Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Birthdate
Email address: dpriest@southgate.lib.mi.us
Once we are able to, we will enter your information into the system, and send you your card number and PIN. It may take a day or two, as staff is only in the building for a few hours a week. This card number will be good for 3 months. To extend its lifespan, and to retrieve the physical card, you will need to come in when we are open again, and provide proof of identity and address (drivers license is ideal). We'll fill in the rest of the details of your account, and you'll be set for the standard 3 years.
To find our digital offerings, go to https://www.southgate.lib.mi.us/eBooks/eBooks.html
Stay home, and stay safe!
Featured
Oculus Quest VR Headsets at the library & FIRST EVER BEAT SABER TOURNAMENT FOR TEENS!
Update: we still hope to hold the tournament as scheduled, unfortunately we cannot be sure that the library will be open again at that time. We will keep you posted! Practice sessions are, sadly, no longer available at this time, though they will become so when the library is once again safe to open.
Do you have what it takes to be a CHAMPION? One way to find out is to compete in our first ever Beat Saber Tournament on Saturday, December 12th! Never played this hit VR sensation before? No problem! There are opportunities to practice every Thursday night between now and the tournament
First off, the Tournament guidelines:
- Ages 13 - 18 only, for health and safety reasons
- You MUST register ahead of time, either in person at the library or by calling us at 734-258-3002. Space is limited, so sign up ASAP!
- The tournament will be held on Saturday, December 12th, from 2:30 - 4:30 PM, and will be in the front meeting room.
- No prior experience required, but we encourage you to take advantage of one or more opportunities to practice (see below).
- There will be prizes for first, second, and third place
Now for the practice sessions:
- Every Thursday, from now until December 10th, from 4:30 - 6:30 PM, there will be chances to get accustomed to the VR headsets and practice playing Beat Saber!
- Due to the ongoing pandemic, this is limited to people who have signed up for the tournament described above.
- Sessions are 30 minutes per patron, one session per patron for that evening, though you may come back in subsequent weeks
- You must also register for these sessions, including the time you would like during the practice period (4 - 4:30, 4:30 - 5, etc.), first come first served. Sign up in person, or by calling us at 734-258-3002
- At this time, only one person may be using a headset at a time, with one or two friends or family members observing. Please arrive as close to your scheduled start time as possible, and leave immediately after it ends.
In order to have the best experience, please make sure you read the following information:
- Masks and social distancing are still required at all times in the library. During events, participants must keep masks on and do their best to stay 6 feet apart.
- We still have a limit on the total number of people who can be in the building as well, so it is imperative that we get people in and out ASAP. Events in the meeting rooms are seperate from the rest of the library, but we can't have even a small group loitering before or after the event.
- Headsets will be cleaned by a staff member between each use.
- If you are feeling ill or think you may have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please do not come to the library even if you have signed up to attend one of these events.
Introducing: Auto-Renewals!
Starting October 1, 2020, materials checked out on your card will automatically renew before their due date, as long as they can be renewed.
Items will auto-renew if:
- The item has not been requested by another patron
- The item has not reached its limit of renewals. Limits vary by item type and owning library; the policy for items belonging to Southgate can be found under the Card Policies on our Policies page
- Your account does not have blocks preventing renewals
Frequently Asked Questions
When do auto-renewals occur?
Auto-renewals will occur 3 days before an item's due date. You will still receive the full additional loan period, as the renewal period is added at the end of the original loan. For example, if you borrow a movie for 1 week, and it is renewed, you will get to keep it for 2 full weeks in total.
What if an item doesn't auto-renew?
If an item cannot be renewed, you will receive a due date reminder by your chosen notification method (email, text or phone). Please return items by the due date so that other library patrons can enjoy them, and to avoid late fees (while Southgate does not charge overdue fees for its items, other libraries do.)
Questions? Call us at 734-258-3002